The present invention relates to improvements in leaf-type filtering systems. In the leaf-type filtering system disclosed in my aforementioned parent application Ser. No. 06/460,288, as is typically true in prior art leaf-type filters, filtrate from each individual leaf is conducted from the leaf by a conduit extending from the bottom of the leaf to a manifold or header passing beneath the leaves.
The individual filter leaves must be removed for cleaning or replacement from time to time. The point of fluid connection between the leaf outlet pipe and the header or manifold is well below the surface of the unfiltered liquid contained in the tank and for all practical purposes is inaccessible to the operator. It is thus necessary to provide a coupling between the leaf outlet pipe and header which (1) can be mechanically released simply by vertical lifting of the filter leaf and (2) will promptly and automatically seal the header portion of the coupling upon removal of the associated filter leaf. If the header is not immediately sealed, dirty fluid from the tank will flow into the header to become mixed with the clean filtered fluid contained in the header. The coupling, of course, must also be capable of being made and sealed simply by vertical engagement of the outlet pipe of the replacement filter leaf, as the operator cannot clearly see this point of connection while he is trying to make it.
The present invention eliminates the need for a self-closing, subsurface coupling between the filter leaf and header and also provides a filter leaf construction and coupling arrangement in which the leaves themselves mutually locate and support each other within the filter tank.